he's facing seven counts of attempted murder. more than 50 people were killed in a blast which struck near the ruling party headquarters. abc's terry moran reports now. >> reporter: black smoke rose into the clear morning sky above damascus, marking the latest atrocity in this prosecutal civil war. in the heart of the city, horror, carnage and chaos. citizens tried to douse fires and aid victims. we drove to the scene from across the city through traffic paralyzed by panic and arrived as bodies were still being pulled from the wreckage. this crowded traffic intersection in the heart of downtown damascus, a giant car bomb devastates this area, many casualties. this is designed to terrorize the people of damascus. what made it more heartbreaking,

among the more than 50 killed, children. the whole scene stank of gasoline, charred cars and death. it could have been worse. what looked like a second car bomb that did not detonate was discovered at the scene and dismantled. syrian officials say they arrested the driver. it was an attack that shook this city to its core, as rebels in the suburbs showed they can stagger the place that is president bashar assad's strong holds. >> terry has done some remarkable reporting from over there. >> just to add to that piece, terry, after he was done there, he went to a military hospital where more than 70 people who were wounded were taken and there were incredible stories to tell there. there was a woman who was going to lose both of her legs. she was walking with her 4-month-old and she has no idea where her 4-month-old is.

there's a lot of stories that unfortunately tonight we can't share with you, but terry is out there and doing incredible work and reporting and will continue to bring us these stories. >> 70,000 people estimated to have died in this conflict. now to kansas. the kansas national guard has 12 teams patrolling three state highways in humvees to rescue motorists stranded. accidents like this one involving a transit bus in kansas city were common on the roads with whiteout conditions. dozens of drivers are waiting out that storm in shelters. air travel is also at a stand still. crews worked to free this united plane stuck in the snow in wichita. a spokesman says the plane got stuck when the plane turned on a taxiway that had not been plowed. with that, a look at weather of the rest of the country.

charleston, atlanta expecting heavy rain today. a few sprinkles around dinnertime. >> temperatures in the upper midwest get back to more seasonable readings. florida is warmer than usual with orlando in the mid 80s. dallas is 10 degrees cooler than usual, only at 52. well, you're going to be doing a double take on this story. simply because of all the settles of twins involved. get it? double takes, twins. >> they all attend castle heights elementary school in lebanon, tennessee. eight sets of them are in the first grade. >> a guidance counselor says she can't tell them all apart so she calls them by their last names. >> something in the water, man. something is going on around nashville. here's the cutest quotes. apparently the gonzalez twins

say, we feel like best friends all the time. almost all the time. >> that's an honest statement. we can deal with that. >> why not? that's sweet. all right. coming up next, the importance of black history month through the eyes of descendants of civil rights pioneers. they're joining us for an indepth panel discussion coming up next. we get into a lot of very interesting topics, including president obama's role. we get into does the month still have resonance with the youth of today in terms of what the black community needs to do for itself? so stay tuned for that. something different on the show tonight. and later on, raising hundreds of thousands of dollars one shoe shine at a time. it's an act of charity that you have to see to believe. you're watching "world news now."

have given way to sleeping. tossing and turning where sleepless nights yield to restful sleep. and lunesta®(eszopiclone) can help you get there. like it has for so many people before. when taking lunesta, don't drive or operate machinery until you feel fully awake. walking, eating, driving, or engaging in other activities while asleep, without remembering it the next day, have been reported. lunesta should not be taken together with alcohol.

abnormal behaviors may include aggressiveness, agitation, hallucinations, or confusion. in depressed patients, worsening of depression, including risk of suicide, may occur. alcohol may increase these risks. allergic reactions such as tongue or throat swelling occur rarely and may be fatal. side effects may include unpleasant taste, headache, dizziness, and morning drowsiness. ask your doctor if lunesta is right for you. then find out how to get lunesta for as low as fifteen dollars at lunesta.com. there's a land of restful sleep. we can help you go there on the wings of lunesta.

and let me welcome our panel this morning. let me begin by introducing each one of you. we have a high school principal and city councilman in newark, new jersey. he's the son of one of the most well-known and widely published writers of the black moffitt in the '60s. and bill abernathy. he's a producer here and his cousin was ralph abernathy.

and the third of malcolm x's six daughters. she's also an accomplished author. let me just start with a generic question, this whole idea of black history month. do you think for the younger generation that doesn't know what you all know, have not lived through what you have all lived through, does this month have resonance that it should with them, do you think? >> i do believe that they are given a dose of black history during black history month, because that seems to be the only opportunity that people can really talk about african-americans and their struggle and history in this country without feeling any awkward or guilty way. >> yes, they do seem to know a lot about the struggles. i don't think they know enough. i think that black history should be incorporated throughout the year in our

curriculum. >> what is the crux or the most pressing issue right now for black america? is there one issue, is there one that you think really should be getting the most attention in and out of our communities? >> economics is key. job growth. the lack of job opportunities for many african-americans in this country. it's just really opportunity, you know, as far as like working and really building well. >> i would throw education in there, as well. a lack of a decent education, 12th grade high school diploma from an african-american male is about -- they say equivalent to an 8th grade diploma from a white american. so that needs to be addressed.

>> do you think the president has done enough for the what can community? and is that a fair question considering he's the president of the entire country? >> i think it's really an opportune time for us to strategize community involvement, putting together some sort of agenda while we have him in office, that we can't just think that he's going to solve all of our problems. but we have to also look at ourselves. >> i don't think that because he's the president of the united states, that magically all of the ills that affect our community goes away. all of the racism, all of the unemployment, all of the things we just talked about still exist, even as him being the president of the united states. >> being we're the descendants of civil rights leaders, it's just that even to -- i just get emotional about it. it was such a historic moment for those that could not even

imagine having a black man in the white house. >> what do you think your dad would think? >> it's a little hard to answer the projections of what my father would think. i really do think if he was still alive a lot of the issues wouldn't be as they are today. but i think that he would challenge our president a little bit more. >> more coming up after the break.

the discussion continues now

with what the black community is doing for itself. >> i think that there is a lack of a lot of folks' presence in our neighborhoods and communities. once people make it and become successful, they disappear. so you don't see them in the neighborhood like you used to, m mentoring. there was a point we were segregated where doctors and lawyers had to live amongst us so our children got to see the different role models. >> it is extremely important for our young people to be empowered, to know that they can be whatever they want to be, and they have that anchor from knowing their history. >> for folks unconvinced that we should still be talking about racism, what is the one thing you would point to that say this

is still an issue. >> 70% of african-americans are still segregated, they go to african-american predominantly schools. we just talked about the level of unemployment and incarceration. we're still witnessing the kind of murders that go on in our community, not just black on black, but other kind of -- even police murder or suspicious murders in the south. so racism is still alive and well. i mean, the president of the united states probably has had more death threats than any other president in the history of this country. him being the president has surfaced a lot of racism in this country and has become surfaced because he's the president of the united states. >> what would you advice be, broad scope here, your advice to black america and your advice to others about black america? >> this generation is a lot of young black professionals and african-americans who supposedly made it, they're successful.

i think that it's important that they don't forget how they got these things, because a lot of times we are successful and we believe that we did this all completely on our own. >> i listen to words of your father, and minister farrakhan, and dr. king. it was just, you know, to this day, still brings a smile to my face, makes me sit up straighter, makes me lift my head up high, just because they were constantly reminding me through their messages, through mare work, who we are and who we need to be. >> when we understand history, we know that we can't sit back and wait for someone to do something for us. it's our responsibility. we can't complain so much about what our young people are doing if we're not showing them a way to do it better. >> know your past. >> thank you all for a great discussion. i appreciate that. [ male announcer ] rocky had no idea why dawn was gone for so long...

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♪ real quick thanks to all those folks who took part and produced that panel discussion. i appreciate that. so good talk. >> very powerful. finally now, our favorite story of the day. it's about a man with a humble job shining shoes. >> for three decades, he's donated every tip he's earned to help needy kids and this week those donations topped $200,000. wendy bell from our pittsburgh station has the story. >> reporter: it starts before dawn.

in the pittsburgh darkness. the 88 penn pulls up and he climbs off, as he has for 32 years. to strangers, albert lexy is anonymous. but here in the bowels of children's hospital, he's a sick child cease angel. each morning, he examines his schedule like a doctor on the clock. but his gift isn't healing, it's giving back. >> this is how i work, shine shoes and talk to my customers. >> reporter: albert's work comes in twos. a shine costs $5. >> most of them give $6. >> here's a $20. >> some of them give $7. >> reporter: and albert has given every tip, every extra dollar. >> the size of his heart is tremendous. >> reporter: back to the kids.

>> he's donated over a third of his lifetime salary. >> reporter: it's a fund for sick children whose parents just can't afford to pay. each dollar, every tip since 1981. >> i had a doctor, he gave me a $50 bill for christmas. yeah. >> reporter: and with these shines, albert will give his $200,000th dollar to sick children. >> he can bring in $500, 600 a week. >> reporter: strangers who so badly need his help. >> it's good to be a hero. >> there are angels among us, and he is one. >> that is incredible. by the way, he's been doing that for 40 years. he built his box in a shop class. >> and he's in several business districts throughout the pittsburgh area and he's in that hospital tuesdays and thursdays. >> may god bless him. >> more from abc coming up next.

this morning on "world news now," monster storm. the winter weather system that is bringing heavy snow, ice, and even tornadoes to 20 states. >> this fierce february blast is reminding everyone of a mean season, with spring nearly a month away. it's friday, february 22nd. >> from abc news, this is "world news now." >> good friday morning, everybody. >> finally friday. >> i'm rob nelson. >> feels good to say that. and i'm diana perez. it's going to be a miserable, even dangerous commute for millions of people. we'll get to the details from accuweather. and another major story we're following. the bombshell in the oscar pistorius case.

what's happening to the investigation after a lead cop is accused of murder himself. >> that is something no one saw happening. even prosecutors were so embarrassed, they simply did not know this guy's past. >> and what does it mean for the case? >> could be unraveling. a rare look inside iran and the economic crackdown on that country. how everyday people are coping with shortages of medicine. you can talk about the u.s. and iran going at it, but as always, it's the everyday citizens caught in the middle. that story does a great job of pointing out just how it impacts everyday life. just the basics like medicine. >> you hear about sanctions and it doesn't mean anything until you see a story like this. >> there's policy, and there's real tif and policy's impact on that. and getting through. how science teachers are turning to popular music. how this class act is helping students finally take interest. >> i wish i had this earlier in

the week. whatever it takes. however you get the message across, the fact that it gets across is a good thing. but first, leading once again with weather. a monster of a storm is dumping snow in the middle of the country and spawning killer tornadoes. >> hemphill, texas area was hit hard. and it's far from over, as severe weather warnings are up across a big section of the country this morning. our coverage begins with abc's brad wheelis. >> reporter: old man winter just keeps rolling along across 20 states. bringing traffic to a slippery, sliding crawl. >> our car is in the ditch. people sliding into people. it's a mess out here. it's really a mess out here. >> reporter: some lucky drivers found foul weather friends. whiteout conditions and icy

roads made driving daring and dangerous. >> just lost control due to the weather condition. >> reporter: scary? >> scary, yes, it is. >> reporter: they tried to hold back the blizzard with man and machine. but this time lapse photography shows you why it was a losing battle, with snow falling at three inches an hour in some places. in missouri, even the king of the jungle was driven indoors at the zoo. the blizzard is bearing down on chicago and parts of the great lakes are facing half foot of snow. for farmers, it's a blessing in surprise. >> this will get our spring crops growing. >> reporter: a spring that, for now, seems a long, long way off. brad wheelis, abc news, los angeles. >> what a mess out there. this storm system is impacting millions this morning, from the midwest down to the southeast. >> meteorologist jim dicky continues our coverage from accuweather. good morning, jim. >> good morning rob and diana.

a snowstorm put down substantial snow across the plains on thursday. good news is, that winding down trafficking its way to the north and east and weakening as it does. seeing significant snow through the morning into the chicago area. 3 to 6 inches piling up by the time the s rises. so the morning commute will be difficult. icy conditions spreading through i-80. so blacksburg, virginia, watch out for slick shots on the roadways. this will keep heavy rain across the southeast. strong thunderstorms in the florida panhandle. flooding will be a big issue here. many spot spots, 2 to 4 inches rain. rob and diane, back to you. >> thank you, jim. police in las vegas are searching for suspects after three people were killed during a gun battle between two luxury cars and a fiery crash that followed. authorities say at least one person in a range rover shot at a maserati, then crashed into a

taxi. the taxi burst into flames. the driver and passenger both died. the driver of the maserati also died. >> right there on the vegas strip. this happened in a well-known area, near ceasar's palace. so this is a very busy area of the strip, right there. just a crazy story there. >> it was crowded. people returned to help, but to no avail. all of the people involved that were there, died. the people in the range rover made it out. there are police officers in many states looking for this range rover right now. this is not the first one this is happened. this is the third case of violence on the strip. there was a gentleman who was shot near a movie theater. there was a man stabbed in an elevator. scary stuff. >> wow. >> it's supposed to be fun. >> the gambling, the shoes, the buffets and all that. there was some kind of a fight inside of a hotel that spilled out on the street. that's how this, at least as of

now, that's what started all this, but a real mess out there. moving on this morning, back to court today for olympian oscar pistorius, where he could learn whether he will await his trial for the murder of his girlfriend in jail or free on bail. the real drama yesterday, though, swirled around the now former lead investigator in this case. hilton botha has been replaced. it was confirmed he's facing seven counts of attempted murder himself. a police official made an important distinction for reporters. >> at this point in time, there are no charges. at this point of time, he is not suspended. >> south africa's top detective was named to face botha on the case. botha could still be called to testify at trial. >> here's something i find hard to believe. prosecutors had no idea. the man they were putting on the stand has been charged with seven counts of attempted murder for firing into a mini bus.

they had no idea. >> which is scary. that's not a small incident. that's not a jaywalking charge. how could they possibly not know? so obviously, there's a part of the system that's a little broken. >> and there was a tweet from inside court yesterday. tweets, you know, you have to take these with a grain of salt. but somebody said they overheard one of the lead prosecutors say, well, there goes my case. >> could very well be. apparently it goes back to an incident in 2011 where botha and two other cops were firing into a minivan. some kind of incident. we still don't know why they were shooting. but weird twist in a weird case. >> that's right. well, there was more courtroom drama yesterday as drew peterson was sentenced to 38 years for killing an ex-wife. the former suburban chicago policeman shoutedous his

innocence, claiming i did not kill kathleen. her sister shot right back saying, yes, you did, you liar. outside the courtroom, the sister thanked the prosecution. >> they really took it personal and it meant so much to me that cathy's voice was going to be heard. >> prosecutors suspect peterson killed his fourth wife, fearing that she would finger him for the murder. peterson has maintained his fourth wife ran away with another man and is still alive. >> the prosecutors in the case, after he went on this 30 minute rant at the mike, peterson said that's the guy that committed this crime. basically saying you've seen proof in the courtroom. moving on, criminal charges are being brought now in a case of deadly food poisons. four former peanut company employees have been charged with scheming to manufacture and ship salmonella sainted peanuts that killed nine people. the justice department says the charges should warn the food industry to put safety first.

now this morning also a consumer alert, especially if pork sausage is on your menu. smithfield is recalling 38,000 pounds of pork sausage. the packages contain pieces of plastic. it was produced on january 11 and sold in 11 states and d.c. gasoline prices are still heading up. the average price is $3.78 a gallon, almost half a dollar more than a month ago. some blame speculators. others, tension in the middle east. but oil prices have plunged the last two days. demand is also dropping as drivers cut back. you might remember that classic mcdonald's super bowl ad from way back in '93, which michael jordan and larry bird had a basketball shooting contest. you know, nothing but net. well, they had nothing on these two. >> and they had their cameras

rolling. watch the ball. let's call this off the bouncy ball, off the garage, off the house, nothing but net. oh, yeah. nice. how many times do you think they practiced that? off the ball -- >> to the roof of that garage. >> to the garage. off the house, swish. >> that is amazing. >> nice. >> let's hope we don't find out in two days it was photo shopped. >> it's still cool even if it was. >> you guys want to feel old for a minute? michael jordan just celebrated his 50th birthday. >> why would you do that on a friday of all days? i was up here. now you just brought me down here. >> sorry. happy beplated, air jordan. coming up -- >> and music in science class.

lessons learned thanks to the beat of a popular hip-hop artist. you're watching "world news now." have given way to sleeping. tossing and turning where sleepless nights yield to restful sleep. and lunesta®(eszopiclone) can help you get there. like it has for so many people before. when taking lunesta, don't drive or operate machinery until you feel fully awake. walking, eating, driving, or engaging in other activities while asleep, without remembering it the next day, have been reported. lunesta should not be taken together with alcohol. abnormal behaviors may include aggressiveness, agitation, hallucinations, or confusion. in depressed patients, worsening of depression, including risk of suicide, may occur. alcohol may increase these risks. allergic reactions such as tongue or throat swelling occur rarely and may be fatal.isks. side effects may include unpleasant taste,

headache, dizziness, and morning drowsiness. ask your doctor if lunesta is right for you. then find out how to get lunesta for as low as fifteen dollars at lunesta.com. there's a land of restful sleep. we can help you go there on the wings of lunesta. until it's completely clean. lysol toilet bowl cleaner kills 99.9% of germs and removes stains better than clorox toilet bowl cleaner with bleach. so if you want to do the whole job, lysol's got you covered. ♪ many hot dogs are within you. try pepto-bismol to-go, it's the power of pepto, but it fits in your pocket. now tell the world daniel... of pepto-bismol to-go. >> with hotwire's low prices, i can afford to visit chicago for my first big race and l.a. for my best friend's wedding. because when hotels have unsold rooms, they use hotwire to fill them. so i got my hotels for half-price! >> men: ♪ h-o-t-w-i-r-e

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extraordinary political standoffs between countries always hurt the ordinary people who are caught between them. >> in iran, the government's refusal there to cooperate with the west over its nuclear program has triggered some harsh economic sanctions. see how it hits home as abc's david muir takes us inside iran. >> reporter: we went in search of one of the biggest pharmacies in central tehran. having heard life threatening medicine is running out. >> hello. >> reporter: this doctor runs the pharmacy. >> we have shortage of almost every category of the medicine. >> reporter: he points straight to tightening u.s. sanctions, meant to force iran's lead tore change course of thane nuclear program, now affecting everyone. all he says because money in and out of iran -- the money flow has stopped some of the drugs

from coming in? >> yes. >> reporter: we asked him to allow us inside the pharmacy, and he takes us. is this crowd typical, the size of this crowd? immediately we see the lines, as we snake our way behind the counter to the back. where not only are they low on many medications, they have run out of several cancer drugs. and the urgency in their faces. this man shows us the prescription for a loved one with leukemia. you have gone to how many pharmacies? over 20? while we were there, he makes his way to the window, where he's told there is none left, to come back saturday. all of this comes as that new u.n. report comes out, the inspectors who discovered advanced sentry fujs, proof that iran can speed up the process to a nuclear weapon. iran saying it has no such ambition. the state department calling

this a prevoktive step. david muir, abc news, tehran. >> you can see the impact it's having on everyday life. on the other hand, iran has not slowed down its desire to get a nuclear weapon, so we think. so you have to wonder the juxtaposition between the government saying whatever, we're going to keep doing our thing, even though it's hurting the citizens. >> today the white house press secretary said this, iran has a choice. the onus is on them. the sanctions could be eased, but they have to bring what they're saying to the table and make it a reality. >> you have to wonder, do the citizens point the finger at america because of the crippling dmik effect or saying to their government, make a deal so we're not in such a tough spot. coming up, a real experiment in science class. >> it involves popular music in

the lesson plans. you're watching "world news now."

♪ there you go. on a friday night. now we're going to turn to the front lines of urbaneducation, where you might think science and hip-hop wouldn't have too much in common. >> they're making science sing. abc's marci gonzalez has the story. ♪ >> reporter: it would seem hip-hop and science -- >> equals mass. >> reporter: -- couldn't be on further ends of the spectrum. but this professor is disproving

that hypothesis. using the popular music genre in the classroom with his pilot program called science genius. now launching in ten high schools in new york city. the goal of the experiment, improving student's science grades. >> the idea here is to take what they're looking for already, combine that with their culture, and introduce them to stynes, which is something that they're inherently good at and open up with possibilities. >> reporter: those possibilities expanding with the help of a celebrity partner. skepticism and uncertainty from students. >> it clicked to me. because science and hip combined, how does that work? >> reporter: well, it works with a regular lesson plan followed by a challenge like this.

the students here at urban assembly class were on it. ♪ [ singing rap ] >> reporter: two unlikely elements fusing to create a new formula for success. >> i think it will inspire them to -- to focus on the details. >> it's going to be definitely easier for me to stay on top of my class. >> reporter: they hope to expand this program not only here in new york city, but across the country. marci gonzalez, abc news, new york. >> dropping science on you. >> i like it. if you look another the global stats where americans rank on math and science, whatever works, whatever sees scores go up, i support that. the mixing of education and a cultural bridge you can draw. there it is. >> you'll use anything to teach

them kids. >> i'm all about the children, you know what i'm saying? >> jiza, an extremely talented rapper, never finished the 10th grade. alright, bring the model in on the set! work the camera... work it! those hands. oooh la la! what's your secret? dawn? [ female announcer ] dawn hand renewal with olay beauty improves the look and feel of hands in 5 uses. love it, or get double your money back. what's left behind. only the resolve easy clean system has foam power to remove three times more dirt

than vacuuming alone. don't just vacuum clean. resolve clean. in the middle of the night it can be frustrating. it's hard to turn off and go back to sleep. intermezzo is the first and only prescription sleep aid approved for use as needed in the middle of the night when you can't get back to sleep. it's an effective sleep medicine you don't take before bedtime. take it in bed only when you need it and have at least four hours left for sleep. do not take intermezzo if you have had an allergic reaction to drugs containing zolpidem, such as ambien. allergic reactions such as shortness of breath or swelling of your tongue or throat may occur and may be fatal. intermezzo should not be taken if you have taken another sleep medicine at bedtime or in the middle of the night or drank alcohol that day. do not drive or operate machinery until at least 4 hours after taking intermezzo and you're fully awake. driving, eating, or engaging in other activities while not fully awake without remembering the event the next day

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woolite washed clothes look like new, longer. all right, everybody, welcome to "the mix." we have some interesting information for you today. >> indeed. >> this one, according to a survey done by a website for married people seeking affairs, having an affair is better for weight loss than going on a diet, if you can believe it. the survey says, unfaithful men lost an average of six pounds while cheating women lost an average of ten pounds. >> because of the stress? >> that's exactly what it is. so this is not a very scientific survey. if you think about it, being stressed produces adrenaline, stress hormone, you breathe faster, all kinds of things happen, you burn calories and

lose weight. >> no wonder arnold schwarzenegger looks so good. there is a wiring in our brain that makes it so hard to say those tongue twisters. like unique new york. there's a new study that says our brains are wired and there's a reason we can't get those words out of our mouth. but this one i can get out -- pol polka. ♪ politics and foreign wars, that's the "world news now" polka ♪ ♪ tapes that roll in way too slow ♪ ♪ stuff you saw on coppel's snow ♪ that's the world news polka ♪ ♪ grab your "world news now" mug and everybody dance ♪ ♪ have some fun, be a pal, every guy and gal ♪

♪ do the world news polka ♪ insomniacs only ♪ that's the world news polka ♪ who cares what the bosses think, they're a goofy crew ♪ ♪ and if your neighbors call the cops, this is what you have to do ♪ ♪ when they yell it's half past 3:00 ♪ ♪ tell them that's news for me ♪ five whole days every week, we're here with tongue and cheek ♪ ♪ and the world news polka ♪ not lipsynced it's the world news polka ♪ >> yeah! >> and a special announcement this morning. we want to wish much and love to

this morning on " this morning on "world news now," record breaking storm. the mammoth snowfall, dangerous condition and travel brought to a standstill by an arctic blast. >> this morning's weather system and its impact on millions of folks in 20 states. it's friday, february 22. >> from abc news, this is "world news now." >> good morning, and happy friday, everyone. i'm diana perez. >> friday. tgif, everybody. i'm rob nelson. see who is getting hit hardest and where this bad weather is going next. we'll get an update from accuweather coming up. a real mess right in the middle of the country. also this morning, who is breaking the political ice over

that huge federal budget deadline coming on march 1. without a deal, paychecks and jobs are on the line once again. and not a lot of hope that they're going to get this done. but hey, washington has gotten very good at 11th hour deals. we'll see if they can do it again. >> they're further away from the middle than ever. later on this half hour, the road to hollywood and the oscars is a very long one for a 14-year-old afghanistan boy who is nominated for an academy award. we simply cannot wait to bring you his amazing journey. also ahead today, a "world news now" followup. something nfl star tim tebow just had to pass. he's made a major decision. we'll bring that to you coming up in "the skinny." we talked about it in the last week or so, and now there's been an update to that. >> a little bit of a controversial decision he's made there. but first, the upper midwest is the next target for the winter storm which dumped more than a foot and a half of snow in kansas. >> watches and warnings are posted from nebraska to north

carolina as this storm dumps snow and ice across a wide region. our coverage begins with abc's ginger zee in the middle of it all in topeka, kansas. >> reporter: halted in the heartland. the monster snowstorm made for white knuckle driving from cars being pushed and pulled to this car up in flames after revving the engine trying to get up a kill. inside the storm, it looked like this. and sounded like that. there we go. thunder snow. highways were shut down from missouri to kansas. >> just got out of control, lost control due to the weather conditions. >> scary? >> scary, yes, it is. >> reporter: ice was an issue in parts of arkansas and missouri, where freezing rain made travel dangerous. at the storm's peak, snow fell up to three inches per hour. look how quickly it adds up in arkansas on this time lapse video. and engulfs this friendly garden gnome in kansas city.

hoar's where the big snow goes next. parts of the great lakes and northern test will get up to a half foot. back in kansas, farmers say every flake is welcome. so the water equivalence is about 10-1, not much bigger than that. is that good? >> an inch of rain, an inch of water is good. we'll take it. >> reporter: he says the brought has hit his 30-year-old business hard. they need rain or snow to make feed for their girls. >> right. this will get our spring crops growing. >> reporter: if you do find yourself caught or trapped in one of those blizzards, you can get these emergency flares. when visibility goes to zero, they can save your life. ginger zee, abc news, topeka, kansas. >> the irony being all that wet enough won't necessarily make that huge a dent in that drought problem, despite all that frozen moisture on the ground in that part of the country. crazy. that's a stat to remember, one inch of rain is about ten inches of snow. >> so we need ten inches of snow to make a difference. >> for that to be like an inch of rain.

ginger can explain it better than i can. i just know the numbers. that same storm system may have sent a killer tornado through texas. >> one woman was killed in hemphill where powerful winds blew a true on her mobile home. we get the latest from meteorologist jim dicky at accuweather. >> good morning. our snowstorm winding down here, but heavy snow through the early morning hours. we're watching i-80 from chicago to omaha. 3 to 6 inches of snow piling up by the time the sun rises here. so the morning commute in chicago going to be difficult. this while we're watching an icy mix spread its way towards 81. so that will be a slick drive through the morning, as well. heavy rain will continue to pour down in the southeast, flooding widespread here with strong storms in the florida panhandle. rob and diana, back to you. >> thanks, jim. appreciate it. to washington now where there are just seven days to go before wide-reaching budget cuts take effect. president obama has reached out to top republican leaders to try to kickstart some talks. the phone call marked the first

time they've talked on the issue since the fiscal cliff deal next year. the president says it never should have gotten to this point. >> there's no other profession, no other industry where people wait until the 11th hour to solve these big problems. >> but neither side is reporting any progress. instead, aides simply exchanged some taunts via twitter. not a lot of reason for hope here that they're going to get this done. but there's still a few days. >> like the president said, there's nowhere else in the world where you think about it, if it's going to affect that many people and so much money is on the line that we wait for this long for anything to happen. in fact, today our abc's jonathan karl spoke to secretary leon panetta about these cuts. he said if they go into effect, it would turn the united states into a second rate power. >> strong words there. president obama said at this point we continue to reach out to the republicans and say this is not going to be good for the

economy or ordinary people, but i don't know if they're going to move and that's what we're going have to keep trying to push over the next seven to eight days. and senator mcconnell said, three months after the election, president obama still prefers campaign events to common sense bipartisan action. not a whole lot of hope in those comments. >> it depends on who you listen to at this point. >> it's a mess either way. moving on to this now. president obama meets at the white house today with japan's new leader, prime minister shinzo abe arrived in washington last night poised to discuss economic ties and security concerns. abe is also looking to reinforce the u.s.-japan alliance. he's the fifth japanese prime minister during president obama's time in office. after a bitter political fight, chuck hagel now has enough votes to become the nation's next defense secretary. support from senator richard shelby put him over the top. shelby says "he's probably as good as we're going to get."

a confirmation vote is expected next week. let's just say up front here that the teen involved in this next story is said to be okay after a videotaped accident from about three weeks ago. check out the teenager hanging from a ski lift in new mexico. it's believed he had thrown a snowball and slipped out of the chair. he fell, boom, right there, 45 feet. he suffered a concussion, a skull fracture and several internal injuries as well. but now we believe he's home and will be fine. don't mess around on the ski lift, folks. >> not the place to do that. boeing is proposing a temporary fix today to the problematic batteries on its 787 dreamliners. those batteries are blamed for at least two incidents which the batteries either caught fire or smoldered, causing smoke on board. the 787s have been grounded since those incidents. united just cut the dreamliners from its schedule until june. not encouraging news here at all. this years's flu shot is not doing a good job of protecting those who need it most.

public health administrators say in senior citizens, it's only 9% effective against the harsh strain of the flu. overall, for all age groups, the effectiveness is a moderate 56%. it's not clear why the vaccine is not working well in older americans, but the cdc says some protection is still better than none. i've seen so many interviews with doctors after this flu season. they all say the same, the flu shot does not make you sick. we know people believe it does. we hear doctor after doctor said don't believe that old wive's tale that it can make you sick. but some people who say they've gotten sick don't want to hear that. >> mother-in-law refuses. well, this might be a slice of true genius. not because it features a likeness of michael jackson. >> that's right. check out michael there, formed from legos and dancing only the way the king of pop could. it's the work of an animator in berlin. >> every time those lego blocks

move, another shot has to be taken, and then they have to be edited together. nearly, nearly as impressive as rob doing his own michael jackson. >> the work of animators is pretty impressive. >> i can't even begin to fathom how long that took, and how many people were involved. >> the work they put into that, are you kidding me? >> i can't do anything with a lego. >> i can't compete with that. i'm not even going to try. i've done it before, people have seen it. >> it's friday. coming up, real-life pain for lady gaga and her road to recovery. >> and the road to hollywood fame is especially remarkable for a movie making teenager from afghanistan. he's up for an oscar. you're watching "world news now." i'm only in my 60's... i've got a nice long life ahead. big plans.

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♪ welcome back, everybody. one of the most unlikely people to walk the red carpet at academy awards this weekend will be a 14-year-old boy from afghanistan. >> he was discovered on the tough luck streets of kabul and stars in a movie that's been nominated for an oscar. abc's muhammad lila has his story. >> reporter: it's a riveting look at life in afghanistan.

but the real story behind oscar nominated "buzkashi boys" takes place when cameras turn off. here, on the grimy streets of kabul, 14-year-old fawad mohammedi sells used magazines to make a living. he spent half his life hustling these streets, the only way to support his family after his father passed away. then two years ago, a random encounter with american filmmaker sam french changed his life. french gave him a lead role in "buzkashi boys," playing the son of a black smith who dreams of playing afghanistan's national sport. muhammadi grew up so poor, his family couldn't afford a television. he's never been on a plane, never left the country. when we asked him which actors would you like to meet, he told us -- >> rambo. >> reporter: and like most american teenagers -- >> i should see also angelina jolie. >> reporter: across town, his

poster lines the hallways of the american embassy. >> it's nothing short of extraordinary. >> when they found out he couldn't afford the airfare, they stepped in to help. >> lots of positive things are happening here. >> reporter: free tickets and vip treatment from the turkish airlines. win or lose, mohammedi told us he wants the world to hear this simple message. >> afghanistan is a free country. afghanistan is a good country. >> reporter: a country now rallies behind its very own "buzkashi boys." muhammad lila, abc news in kabul. >> i love that story. definitely one to watch out for sunday night when the oscars come on. you can watch the 85th annual academy awards ceremony right here on abc sunday. >> live coverage begins at 7:00 p.m. eastern, 4:00 pacific. it's going to be a good one, we can guarantee it. especially because of mohammedi.

>> to go from that dirt poor background, now he's going to be at the oscars, first flight, the vip treatment, the stars, the parties. he must be losing his mind right now. >> i wouldn't want to come back. >> it's incredible. and credit to the filmmaker sam french. he was in the country starting a new initiative called the afghan film project to help afghans make shoe -- movies. they put that movie together $4,000. a little smaller budget than american films. for $4,000, changed that kid's life. >> it doesn't matter if he wins or loses, he's goaling on an airplane. by the way, after the oscars, the state department is going to fly him to d.c. for a special screening and then where do you think he's going? >> tell me. disney world. >> disney world, of course. >> beautiful. enjoy that ride. love those kind of stories. coming up, tim tebow makes an important call. and how two very sexy celebrities are putting more skin in "the skinny." that's coming up next. more

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♪ skinny, so skinny skinny in the house! >> oh, yes, yes it is. thank you, willis. >> good morning, willis. >> welcome, everybody, to "the skinny" on this friday, day five.

we have an update to something we had spoken about in "the skinny" last week. lady gaga had hip surgery. well, after her surgery, she actually penned an emotional note to her fans, which she said, amongst other things, you have changed my life. i love you and am proud to be a part of your lives. if you can do it, i can do it. if we stick together, we can get through anything. she was eluding to the fact that her fans have told her about the experiences that they've had and they made her stronger for it. going back to why she is having this hip surgery. it's because she's been dancing and on tour for god knows how long, and she's totally screwed up her hip at this point. so she needed restrucktive surgery. so she's doing okay and recovering night. >> she's a heck of a performer and gives it her best. so hopefully she gets better fast that. is clearly her happy place. tim tebow's happy place will not

be at a church in dallas. he was scheduled to speak at the first baptist church april 28. however, the reverend there is highly controversial and had all kinds of inflammatory things to say about gays, mormons, jewish people, muslims. he's had quite a controversial past. so once that came to light, tebow now has decided to cancel that appearance on the 28th of april. says he will not go. he tweeted to his 2 million followers, i will continue to use the platform god has blessed me with to bring faith, hope and love and those needing a brighter day. he decided because of "new information that's been brought to my attention," meaning he learned about the scandals and backed out. probably a smart move. >> i'm going to say someone on his pr team needs to be fired. >> yeah, bad call. back out. so jimmy kimmel from time to time, he has shooting competitions on his show. he had a shooting competition on his show last night. he went first and shot, he scored a 6. take a look at who his

competition was. >> so jimmy got his butt kicked by that kid right there? >> that is titus, he is a 2-year-old. he got 10 in, jimmy got 6 in. here's what is interesting about this story. titus' dad posted a video of him doing this. the little boy went on the "today" show and totally failed. so jimmy called the family out and said that must have been a fixed video. well, dad goes on, calls jimmy out and says if you think it's fixed, fly my kid in, let's do it. and he went on and kicked his butt. >> well done, little guy. for all you grown men out there, take a look at the cover of this magazine.

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♪ it's friday. >> we wait all week for today, don't we? finally this half hour, the week that was. it's time to look back at all the headlines in our friday rewind. >> our view this time includes stories of challenging the odds end. this week beginning with our own comeback kid. >> hi, it's robin, and i have been waiting 174 days to say

this -- good morning, america. >> what about you? >> is this abc new evening news or comedy central? >> i haven't lost any sleep about it, and i have -- i have bought a round trip ticket. so i'm counting on coming home. >> we've got these automatic brutal spending cuts poised to happen next friday. they will hurt our economy, they will add hundreds of thousands of americans to the unemployment roles. >> he's effectively admitting he shot an innocent person. that puts you in a tough spot legally. >> can you set the record straight? >> why would i bother doing that with you? >> this is my mid life crisis today? i couldn't get a sports car. they won't let me bungee jump. so i cut my bangs. >> he calls up and says, hey, tiger, you want to play? okay. obviously there is a process that's involved and i was invited to play. >> you can do anything you want,

and being different does not by any means not allow you to follow your dreams. >> a lot of young girls come up to me and tell me that they want to be models. it's not like a real career path, and it's not a great aspiration. you should be thinking i want to be an engineer, i want to be a politician, i want to be a ceo. >> you guys should go down. they'll be here in a minute. and tell mr. matthew he must wait his turn. he's seen the baby and they haven't. >> a very light edition of our friday rewind. >> we also had some hard news out there. >> yeah, we had syria, the shooting in vegas, the shooting out in california. we have much more coming on chuck hagel possibly getting a nomination. there's some other stories out there, as well. so let's wrap it up right there. that's the news this half hour. catch us on facebook.